Mine firing gears



I. HUBER;

LOCKING DEVICE FOR SUBMARINE MINE FIRING GEARS.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. I6. I917. 1,-314,652.- PatentedSept.'2,1919.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

J. H'UBER. LOCKING DEVICE FOR SUBMARINE MINE FIRING ems.

. APPLICATION FILED FEB. "H1917- 1 ,3 1 4 65 2 Patented Sept. 2, 1919.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2- II IIII/III UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES HUBER, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA,.ASSIGNOR TO VICKERS LIMITED,

OF WESTMINSTER, ENGLAND.

LOCKING DEVICE FOR SUIBMARINE-MINE FIRING-GEARS.

Specification of Letters Patent. 7

Patented se t. 2, 1919.

Application filed February 16, 1917. Serial No. 149,035.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, JAMES HUBER, a citizen of the Republic of Switzerland, residing at Philadelphia, county of Philadelphia, and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Looking Devices for Submarine-Mine F iring-Gears; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same. i

This invention relates to a releasable looking device for submarine mine-firing gears. The principal object of the invention lies in the provision of a safety locking device for the firing gears of submarine mines which will prevent the operation of the firing gears during the transportation of the mines aboard ship, which will prevent the operation of the firing gears during the launching or planting of the mines and which will prevent the operation of said gears, after the mine .has been planted, by the tidal currents or the like.

The invention is applicable in particular to the firing gears onthat class of mines in which either the mines themselves, or the lever projecting from the same, or both, rotate when in contact withthe side of a ship.

Mines of the above type are old and have been in use for some considerable time, and it has beenjthe practice to employ a looking means for the firing gears, which consist of a' pair of separable members, one of which is adapted to rotate with the mine itself, and the other of which is adapted to rotate with relation to the mine. These two relatively movable members are pre vented from rotating by a wire or wires of.

such material that upon the contacting of the mine with the side 0i a ship, the wire or wires will be sheared. The diificulty here, however lies in the fact that a relative rotative movement is established through the action of tidal currents, or the like, so that the firing rod of the mine is released prematurely and causes the useless explosion of the mine. If the numberof wires are increased, or the wires made o'fsuch size or material, that they will not be sheared by such tidal currents, a new difficulty arises,

and that lies in the fact that the wires will not then be sheared by the contacting of the mine with a, ship, as there -might not be sufficient force applied to the mine.

The employment of my invention overcomes these difiiculties in not only insuring the retention of the sections of the gear lock in their initial positions, so that they will not be permitted to rotate relatively under the action of the tidal currents, but also in permitting the sections to rotate relatively to each other upon the engagement with a ship.

Inthe drawings Figure 1 is a sectional view of my device showing the same applied to a mine-firing gear'and showing the parts in the positions they will occupy when the mine is being transported aboard ship, or when it is being launched or planted;

Fig. 2 is a. sectional view taken at right angles to Fig. 1, but showing the parts in the same positions;

Fig. 3 is a view taken in the same plane as Fig. 2, but showing the parts in the positions they will occupy'after the mine has been planted, but beforethe separating action of the minesectionand anchor section of the device has commenced;

Fig. 4 is a 'fragmental sectional view showing the positions of the. parts when the separation of the mine section and the anchor section of the device has partly taken place; and

Fig. 5 is a horizontal sectional view on line 55 of Fig. 1.

The embodiment of my invention, which I have illustrated in the drawings, for the sake of convenience, includes a hollow cylindrical section 1 which is open at its upper end and which I term an anchor section, in view of the fact that it is attached to the anchor through a suitable cable and clevis 2, which is secured to the section by bolt 3, in the usualv manner. This anchor section 1 is provided with an extended firing lever 4:, of the usual form, which is arranged to engage the side of a ship. A second section 5, which I term a mine sec; tion, is provided and is secured to .the mineproper 6 by suitable means 7. This mine section 5 is provided with a downwardly extending portion 8 which is adapted to extend into the anchor section 1, to rotate with relation thereto and to move longitudinally thereof, o that the two sections may be disconnected.

A bayonet connection is provided between the sections 1 and 5 and comprises an element 9 which is attached to the section 1 by means of a plurality of bolts 10 which pass through the lower end of the section 1 and on which the section is slidably mounted, the heads of the bolts being spaced from the lower end of the section 1 when the sections are in their initial positions, such as disclosed in Fig. 1, for instance. Between the lower end of the section 1 and the heads of the bolts 10, soluble elements 11 are interposed, the thickness of which soluble elements is, however, less than the distance between the heads of the bolts and the end of the section 1. This results in the provision of spaces 11, for a purpose which will later appear. The element 9 of the bayonet connection carries an upwardly extending shank 12, through which the firing rod 12 extends, and on the upper end of this shank 12, a head 13 is formed. This head 13 is provided with segmental wings 1 1. The head 13 is adapted to be located within a recess 15 in the section 5, when the sections 1 and 5 are locked together, with the wings 14: resting upon shoulders The engagement of these wings 1d with the shoulders 16 prevents the relative longitudinal movement of the sections 1 and 5. These sections are, however, permitted to have relative longitudinal movement when either one or the other of the sections is rotated to bring the wings 14: into alinement with slots 17, which extend from the recess 15 through the lower end of the portion 8 of the section 5.

The sections 1 and 5 are prevented from having relative rotative movement during the launching of the mine, or when the mine is being transported aboard ship, by a looking pin 18 which is located and slidable in alined slots 19 and 20 in the portion 8 of the section 5 and the element 9 of the bayonet connection, which slots are duplicated at a diametrically opposite point at 21 and 22. These slots 19 and 20, and 21 and 22 are arranged at 90 from the slots 17 through which the wings 14 on the head of the element 9 pass. The upper end of the locking pin 18 is rectangular in cross section and conforms to the cross section of the slots 19 and 20. This upper rectangular end is adapted to bridge the joint 23 between the section 5 and the element 9 and is maintained in such bridging relation by a spherical element 24:, which is supported on the bottom 25 of the recess in the section 1, into which the portion 8 of the section 5 extends and on which the lower end of the locking pin rests. The spherical element is maintained in a position to support'the locking pin by the element 9 of the bayonet connection before any relative movement between the sections 1 and 5 has occurred, as illustrated in Fig. 2 of the drawings, but is forced out of its supporting position by the pin itself after the relative movement of the sections 1 and 5 into a position, such as illustrated in Fig. 3. Pins 26, which are made of such size and material that they will be sheared by the buoyancy of the mine, are carried by screws 27 which extend through the section 1. These pins 26 project into recesses in the section 5, in the manner illustrated in Fig. 1 of the drawings, and the screws extend into a circumferential groove in the portion 8 of the section 1. Before the sections 1 and 5 have any longitudinal movement with relation to each other, the screws 27 extend into recesses 29 in the upper edge of the groove 28. After the relative longitudinal movement between the sections 1 and 5 has occurred, however, the screws 27 will be located in the notches 30 in the lower edge of the groove 28, which notches are provided with diverging cam surfaces 31. The screws 27 will, however, not normally rest on the surfaces 30, but will be slightly spaced therefrom, because of the fact that the mine exerts its force upon the bayonet connection which serves to hold the sections together.

When the mine is being transported aboard ship, the parts are in the relative positions illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2, but when the mine is cast overboard, the buoyancy thereof causes the shearing of the pins 26, as the anchor passes to the bottom. This permits a slight relative movement between the sections 1 and 5, the section 1 moving clownwardly on the section 5, until the bottom of the section 1 engages the adjacent faces of the soluble elements 11. When the said soluble elements 11 pass into solution, the section 1 is permitted to have a further longitudinal movement on the section 5, the parts assum ing the positions illustrated in Fig. 3. Upon this last longitudinal movement of the section 1 on the section 5, the spherical element 2& moves from beneath the pin 18, and the latter drops into the position illustrated in Fig. 3, so that it no longer bridges the joint 23, and as far as the pin itself is concerned, the sections 1 and 5 may have relative rotative movement. This relative rotative movement may not be caused, however, by the tidal currents or the like acting upon the firing lever 4, because of the location of the screws 27 in the notches 30. It will be perfectly obvious that in order to cause the relative rotative movement between the sections 1 and 5, the screws 27 must be forced over the cam surfaces 31 into the groove 28, and when this occurs, the section 5 will be moved downwardly to a slight extent, but not to such an extent that the rectangular portion of the \pin 18 will again bridge the joint 23. The forcing of the screws 27 over the cam surfaces 31 will be resisted by a force equal to the buoyancy of the mine, so that this action will not occur, because of the effect of tidal currents or the like. Ihe force produced by the contact of the mine, or the firing lever 4: with the side of a ship, will be sufficient, however, to force the screws 27 out of the notches 30 into the groove 28. The rotative movement imparted to the mine, or to the section 1, as the case may be, will bring the screws 27 into alinement with the slots 19 and 21, and at the same time, the wings 14 on the head of the bayonet connecting element 9' will be brought into alinement with the slots 17 so that there will be nothing to prevent the separation of the sections 1 and 5. Upon the separation of the sections, the striker will be released in the usual manner and cause the explosion of the mine.

It will thus be seen that I have provided a locking device for mine-firing gears which will lock the firing gear during the transportation of the same aboard ship and dur ng the planting ofthe mine, and which will prevent the untimely firing of the mine by the action of tidal currents or the like, with a force equal to and effected by the buoyancy of the mine.

It is, of course, to be understood that I may change the details of theconstruction here illustrated without depart ng from the spirit of the invention or exceeding the scope of the claims, as various other constructions may be used to attain the primary ob3ect of the invention, that is to say, to prevent the operation of the firing gear by the buoyancy of the mine.

What I claim is 1. In a releasable lock for submarine mine-firing gear, the combination with a plurality of sections capable of relative rotative and longitudinal movements, of a plurality of means for preventing the relative longitudinal movement of the sections, which means are successively rendered inoperative, means for preventing the relative rotative movement, which means is rendered inoperative upon the rendition of the latter of the aforementioned means inoperative, and means for subsequently preventing the relative rotative movement of the sections save when a predetermined force is applied thereto.

2. In a releasable lock for submarine mine-firing gear, the combination with a pair of sections, of a plural1ty of means for preventing the relative longitudinal movement of the sections, the said means being successively rendered inoperative, one of the means being constructed and arranged to permit a slight relative longitudinal movement of the sections upon the rendering of the other means inoperative but operative to thereafter prevent the relative movement of the sections and means active under the infiuence of tlie buoyancy of the mine to resist the relative rotative movement of the sections when both of said first-mentioned means are rendered inoperative.

3. In a releasable lock for submarine mine-firing gear, a mine section having a cylindrical portion, said portion having an annular groove in the face thereof and longitudinal grooves communicating with said annular groove, a hollow cylindrical anchor section constructed to receive the cylindrical portion of the mine section, pins carried by the anchor section and adapted when extending into the annular groove to prevent the relative longitudinal movement of the sections, but when extending into the longitudinal grooves to permit relative longitudinal movement.

4. In a releasable lock for submarine mine-firing gear, a mine section having a cylindrical portion, said portion having an annular groove in the face thereof and longitudinal grooves communicating with said annular groove, a hollow cylindrical anchor section constructed to receive the cylindrical portion of the mine section, pins carried by the anchor section and adapted when extending into the annular groove to prevent the relative longitudinal movement of the sections, but when extending into the longitudinal grooves to permit relative longitudinal movement, the lower edge of said annular groove having notches therein into which the pins are adapted to extend to resist the relative rotative movementof the sections with a predetermined force.

5. In a releasable lock for submarine mine-firing gear, a mine section having a cylindrical portion, said portion having an annular groove in the face thereof and longitudinal grooves communicating with said annular groove, a hollow cylindrical anchor section constructed to receive the cylindrical portion of the mine section, pins carried by the anchor section and adapted when extending into the annular groove to prevent the relative longitudinal movement of the sections, but when extending into the longitudinal grooves to permit relative longitudinal movement, the lower edge of said annular groove having a notch, with faces diverging toward the groove, into which the pins are adapted to extend to resist the relative rotative movement of the sections with a force equal to that exerted by the mine.

6. In a releasable lock for submarine mine-firing gear, the combination with a pair of sections capable of successive slight longitudinal, rotative and further longitudinal movements, of means for temporarily preventing the slight longitudinal movement, means carried by one of said sections and movable to engage the other section during the aforesaid slight longitudinal movement, whereby it Will prevent the relative rotative movement of the sections after the rendition of the first mentioned means inoperative, and means to prevent the relative rotative movement during the travel of the last mentioned means to its operative position.

7. In a releasable lock for submarine mine-firing gear, the combination With a pair of sections, slidable and rotatable with respect to each other, the innermost of said sections having an annular groove in the face thereof and longitudinal grooves communicating with the annular groove, the outermost of said sections having longitudinal grooves adapted to aline With the longitudinal grooves of the inner section, means carried by the outer section and extending into the annular groove of the inner section to prevent the relative longitudinal movement of the sections until a predeter mined relative rotative movement has taken place, and means located Within the longi- 'tudinal grooves and bridging the joint between the same for temporarily preventing the relative rotative movement. Y

8. In a releasable lock for submarine mine-firing gear, the combination With a mine section having a cylindrical portion, an anchor section having a hollow cylindrical portion for receiving the cylindrical portion of the mine section, the cylindrical portion of the mine section having an annular groove therein and longitudinal grooves communicating With the annular groove, pins carried by the anchor section and extending into the annular groove.

9. In a releasable lock for submarine mine-firing gear, the combination With a mine section having a cylindrical portion, an anchor section having a hollow cylindrical portion for receiving the cylindrical portion of the mine section, the cylindrical portion of the mine section having an annu lar groove therein and longitudinal grooves communicating With the annular groove,

pins carried by the anchor section and e29 tending into the annular groove, and means carried by said pins 'and extending into the body of the cylindrical portion of the mine section to maintain the mine section and the anchor section in a predetermined relation.

10. In a releasable lock for submarine mine-firing gear, the combination with a mine section having a cylindrical portion, of an anchor section having a hollow cylindrical portion for receiving the cylindrical portion of the mine section, the cylindrical portion of the mine section having an annular groove therein and longitudinal grooves communicating With the annular groove, pins carried by the anchor section and eX- tending into the annular groove, said annular groove having cam notches in the lower edge thereof to receive the aforementioned pins upon the rendition of the last mentioned means inoperative.

In testimony whereof I aifix my signature.

JAMES HUBER.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

